Comfort
by Nightwingess
Summary: Eddie no longer has powers but he refuses to give up, concentrating all his efforts into become stronger. M'gann can see it's taking a tole on him and decides to cheer him. (Trade with YoungTitan213 3)


**Trade with the lovely YoungTitan213 3**

* * *

The Titans were on patrol and yet again the once Kid Devil was alone in the training room with his fists wrapped in white tape as he pounded the punching bag to the beat of this year's summer hits playing on the radio. With every punch, he thought of all his failures and imagined them being smashed into pieces, pieces like ash that were reborn in fire fueled triumphs. So what if he didn't have powers, he was still a Titan with the motivation to change the world and make it a better place.

The sweat rolled down his cheeks and neck, down to his chest where is shirt was drenched from his two hours spent perfecting his right hook. As the radio droned on with a catchy tune riddled in dirty nuances, he felt his breath become sharp, fatigue had hit him and the lactic acid in his muscles had built up to the point where his body had become stiff. He backed away from the bag, frustrated that he couldn't be stronger, couldn't last longer.

"Damn it." He moved to kick the bag but the sweat from his body had accumulated to a small pool on the floor, he slipped and began to fall backwards. He was caught just in time by soft, green arms that wrapped around his chest.

"M'gann?" Eddie panted, having stopped his punching he could feel the full weight of the fatigue along with the urge to sit down. She led him to the bench and the two sat with M'gann smiling and Eddie rubbing the back of his head, even though he had not hit the ground, he had a headache from overdoing it, yet again.

"Shouldn't you be out with the Titans, fighting and being you know, a hero?" Eddie didn't want pity, he wanted his friends to go out and do what they loved, sooner or later he'd catch up, even if it meant working out in the gym until he fainted.

"Heroes have breaks," She put her hand on his shoulder, "How about a lunch break?" M'gann came off so sweet he felt his heart pound faster and for a moment he thought it'd come out of his chest. He looked at the gym floor to keep his head from spinning. Sweet, sweet M'gann M'orzz here to make sure he wasn't wearing himself out, he couldn't be more thankful to have a friend like her watching out for him, even though he wished she wouldn't.

"Lunch sounds great, I just…" He was going to say he needed a cool-down but he couldn't because it wasn't the truth. He wanted to go a few more rounds, hit the bag harder, maybe even so hard it fell off its hook and exploded on the gym floor. It was an unrealistic thing to hope for but maybe if he was strong enough to the near impossible, he'd be strong enough to hold his own in the field and then his friends wouldn't have to worry. He chuckled to himself, that was the price of a hero wasn't it, you have to look out for everyone, the last thing you need to look out for are those who are suppose to have your back in the battle. He paused at the contradiction in his thoughts and waved it off, not wanting to think deeper on the subject. All he knew for sure was he had to be able to take care of himself in order to take care of others and he wasn't there yet.

M'gann watched his eyes shift; his fingers twisted as though he was in agony and his feet slid across the floor. She resisted the urge to listen to his thoughts and instead, studied his expression, one of defeat. She hated seeing him this way, as though he wasn't good enough. But that wasn't the truth, not at all; Eddie was kind, funny, and a good friend who she could depend on. But just as she questioned her own ability, he questioned his; it was the human quality that she'd come to know as universal, everyone needed a nudge to believe in their own capabilities.

"Eddie, you were a hero long before you had powers-"

"It's okay M'gann." He felt the need to cut her off before she gave him a stirring lecture that would end up with him feeling all warm inside with a blush to boot. He knew she had that effect on him; she always did as if his soul and heart exploded whenever she complimented him. He put a hand on her head and laughed to lighten the mood.

"I know what I was, but I…" He paused to think about what he was feeling, what exactly he needed to say to explain to his friend that there were other factors involved, ones that couldn't be explained away by the feeling of helplessness. He didn't have to really, M'gann could guess, she knew him well enough to read the words on his face that his lips hadn't found but his heart shouted.

"Who you are." Self-discovery was a journey she could attest to, having been lost on her identity for years. As a telepath, she had her share of insecurities that were well known by now, if anyone could relate to what Eddie was going through, it was her. It was a fact that Eddie had forgotten, of course M'gann would understand, how could he think otherwise what with all she'd been through.

She cocked a grin at him and moved her hand up to where he'd laid his hand on her head. Gently, she pulled it down and held it; her fingers intertwined with his, her way of letting him know it was alright.

"We're living, breathing beings, it's natural to question, especially our identities, because if we're lost in ourselves-"

"We're lost in everything else." Eddie finished for her, he leaned in and sighed, it was funny how he could get so philosophical with M'gann but it was easy what with them being so linked, not just in mind but in emotion too. He knew what with all her missed social cues that she'd settled, or started to settle, in a person of her own but the fact she was here for him now reminded him that she was still rooted in her friendships and that gave him comfort.

"It's okay to feel lost Eddie." M'gann said, her other hand touched his cheek and for a moment there was a shrivel of guilt in it, now more than ever she could touch Eddie without the fear of fire, she couldn't fathom why that mattered so much to her now though. She pulled back and patted his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah I know you're right, you're always right. You're one smart cookie M'gann M'orzz, Martian Goddess." She rolled her eyes; her hand moved from his shoulder to his chest and with a slight push, she shoved him back. He made an overdramatic expression as though he was in excruciating pain and her laugh grew louder. The laugh itself was unusual, but in the best possible way, it was like a hesitant giggle that erupted unexpectedly, he loved that.

"Come on, let's go eat some sandwiches!" They got up from the bench, more sweat fell from Eddie's body and M'gann giggled remembering the awful odor coming off Eddie.

"But shower first, you smell like raw fish and spoiled eggs." Eddie draped an arm over M'gann's shoulder, he leaned into her body playfully just to tease her and she held her nose with her fingers.

"What's this? I smell! Here I thought I smelled like roses and fresh dew!" Eddie spoke like a character in a play with flamboyant gestures and a boisterous voice making it hard for M'gann to breathe, she was laughing too hard by the persona. Eddie started to laugh too and it took another ten minutes before they reached the doors of the gym, both having nearly fallen several times. By the time they did, Eddie was leaning against the doorway, holding his torso that now ached from all his laughter. M'gann reached forward to pull him up, giggling in the process.

After a bit of protest on his part, he was standing straight, trying to remember what was so funny. He looked at M'gann's eyes for the answer and felt his heart melt a little, the way she looked so sincere and earnest brought back that exploding feeling inside of him. He leaned in a bit to kiss her forehead and her own laughter turned quiet from the touch; she felt a small smile coming along.

M'gann looked up and he looked down; in that moment, where their eyes met, the clichés of film turned into reality with time slowing down, minds going blank and all of sudden his lips were on hers.

It took them a few seconds to realize what had happened, his first thought being how sweet her lips tasted and her first thought being how warm he felt. It was slow and then, when the realization hit, both pulled back instantly with red faces, stuttering excuses and apologies.

"I'm gonna hit the showers." Eddie said with a nervous laugh, M'gann nodded quickly and pointed to the kitchen, her words had left her, regardless Eddie nodded and the two ran off in opposite directions. As he headed to the shower and she headed to the kitchen, both had lingering smiles, each sharing the same thought in mind.

_That was nice… very… nice._


End file.
